i agree that was one of the worst lists empire has ever done, no one from Tekken, no only one character from street fighter, no one from Mass effect, no other final fantasy characters...this list just seemed wrong...

Half-Life and Half-Life 2. He’s a cool character for sure but not number one. The combine would actually be higher for me. And Solid Snake would be my number one and he’s not even in the top ten here. Bobbins list…

Now the last time I played a game was Heroes of Karn on the Commodore 64 (it came on a cassette. Ask your parents what those are, kids), but it seems to me that there's a certain amount of tribalism going on here. The writers of this list are Empireites who have, through their lives, owned and played extensively on most of the games consoles going (as well, of course, as PCs and arcade games back in the day) and who know their onions.

I can assure you from personal unavoidable eavesdropping on the endless geeky discussions that preceded the creation of this list that no other polls were taken into account, and that the details of this running order were hammered out in house. You may very well accuse my colleagues of being geeky, bloody minded, nostalgic for the entire history of gaming to this point - but those of you accusing them of laziness, lack of knowledge or stupidity are way off base.

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"I never understood drinking. It isn't good for your looks, and it cuts down on what you are. I never wanted to cut down on what I am." - Mae West

(a) lost their virginity (b) owned a Commodore 64 or ZX Spectrum (c) broken several joysticks trying to play Daley Thompson's Decathlon (d) their own house (or at least don't still live with mummy and daddy in a room strewn with crusty Kleenex)

Honestly, if you own a PC and haven't played titles like System Shock, Freespace 2 and Planescape then you're missing out on some of the greatest games ever devised. They're available for pennies! I shall hear no excuses!

Err...incompatibility with Vista/Windows 7? Nonsense! All three (and BG) work on 7 and Vista. I cleared out Beregost with Minsc, Edwin and the boys just the other night. - James

EDIT: Rockin' good news! I'll have to dig out my old copies of Baldur's Gate and Planescape again soon

Lucky I played them all back in the day - many an hour was wasted on the Sword Coast

< Message edited by sharkboy -- 26/5/2010 6:22:38 PM >

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WWLD?

Every time we think we have measured our capacity to meet a challenge, we look up and we're reminded that that capacity may well be limitless

I left in love, in laughter, and in truth and wherever truth, love and laughter abide, I am there in spirit.

It's as good a list as any, in that obviously I disagree with about half of it. But although Gordon would be my No. 2 behind Guybrush, I still can't really complain: it's nice to see him getting some love at the expense of more two dimensional but more famous heroes.

However, I am utterly astounded by the lack of Alyx Vance! The single most human, believable, and empathetic videogame character in the history of the medium! I'm currently playing Episode Three for the first time and the big near the beginning, well... I shrieked out loud.

Actually Hurdy, you voted for our best games list, which we ran some time ago. The characters here were all chosen by us. And while it's true that Empire is a film magazine, I can tell you now that some of us (myself included) have probably played more games than many of you have heard of. We wear anoraks of many colours here at Empire.

Whether you're upset that many entries are obscure (to you!), raging that the obvious choices aren't high enough or incensed that every entry isn't from ('insert fanboy game franchise here'), we're very happy with the list we've put together. Sure, we had to leave out some legends but we got to include other, more worthy entrants as a result. If you haven't heard of some of the characters on the list - go out and get acquainted with them! Your gaming lives will be all the richer for it.

What! A film magizine didnt quiet get a games list right? The dam outrage! No Clive from rockstar ate my hampster! No James pond! Not even Rick Dangeroues.......but for me..the complete wrong doing here is an animinate object ...."The Door" from bubble bobble. Nothing ever got two young teenagers more happyier then blowing bubbes from thier blue and green headed monsters then the apperence of the dark door. Then would both forget about thier fruit lust and go for those great diamonds from within... ow...and Ryu should have been in thier...not Ken, the copy boy who lusted for the good life. No waterfalls,long walks or broodyness...dindt need a f*cking crow bar either..

Also, if you wanted to play up the obscure then where the hell is Orochi or anyone from the most underrated game of all time, Okami? That's more a Miyazaki masterpiece than a game and it has characters that could easily fill half this list.

(a) lost their virginity (b) owned a Commodore 64 or ZX Spectrum (c) broken several joysticks trying to play Daley Thompson's Decathlon (d) their own house (or at least don't still live with mummy and daddy in a room strewn with crusty Kleenex)

Should have the right to comment on this thread.

Commodore 64? ZX Spectrum? Sorry but (in gaming terms) you're being an old fart, and I'll be 26 soon. Complaining about virgins while being a hardcore computer game player does sound like a contradiction in terms. I'm joking of course, as I'm hoping you are with your "room strewn with crusty Kleenex comment (honestly what an old joke, as if anyone doesn't flush their used tissues down the bog)

If being wrong on the internet was an olympic sport, empire would get a podium place every time. Half of these entries don't even have a character to rate; and judging by the voting ~3/4 of the voters are pre pubescent idiots without the faintest grasp of gaming knowledge/ history.

I dont understand...Really..I dont..Its a list. Someones list. Everyone is so mad but no-one has put the time and effort into making a better one(With detial, not random).. I had a bit of a bitch and sticth when it first came out but now im over it. Write your own fucking list. If you made a comment, then you logged into Empire. If you logged into Empire then I guess your a fan. Stop being a cunt and just read the free reviews ....They actually give you something to post about...

These many replies and no one has thought to mention the fact that Leisure Suit Larry Laffer himself isn't on this list?! About as big an outrage as having Gordon Freeman at no. 1. Sure, I think Half-Life is one of the all time greats and I love HL2 just as much, but Gordon Freeman is not by a long shot the greatest ever video game character.

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"If that's how Kilgore fought the war I began to wonder what they really had against Kurtz. It wasn't just insanity and murder, there was enough of that to go around for everyone."

Pretty damn good list. Some odd choices but overall interesting. Adorable to see the console kiddies squawk and squeal about the results. Seems like a few younguns are getting taken to school here, and they ain't happy about it.

A lot of people seem to be objecting to particular characters appearing in the list simply because they haven't heard of them. Unfortunately, this means you've simply been playing the wrong games: Just because you never saw Star Wars, doesn't mean Darth Vader isn't a great character. :D

I would've liked to have seen a Pyschonauts character make the list though, and as far as Planescape Torment goes, I'd have picked Morte over The Nameless One.

This is possibly the stupidest comment I've ever had the misfortune to read on this forum...

that is absolutely hilarious ...

i'm not here to argue with the list, because it's just a list for fuck sake! what difference does it matter if the entire FF or Resi cast isn't in the list ... grow up you sad bunch of ignorant, infantile losers - can you not let someone else have a different opinion from yours?

and for all you outraged mario fans: mario may be the greatest gaming franchise of all time, but it doesn't make him the greatest character. it just means nintendo have done extremely well stretching his perfectly trimmed moustache over the decades (even into the Olympics, tennis, karting, golf etc etc).

Okay, 1 list, 7 pages of comments and not one mention of Riddick ? No one here remembers Escape from Butcher Bay ? Or do everyone here think that Riddicks only claim to fame is Pitch Black and the brilliant Chronicles ?